Hunt for zebra that escaped its trailer and went on the run

‘Z’ the stallion zebra has still evaded the capture of authorities after the animal ran away from its trailer in Washington

A zebra is on the run in Washington after it escaped from a trailer along with three other zebras.

The zebras broke free at around 1pm on Sunday when the driver transporting them to Montana stopped at an exit on Interstate 90 in North Bend, Washington.

The driver got out to secure a mat in the trailer, but the four zebras managed to get loose, prompting a community-wide effort to try and capture the striped escapees.

Three of the animals, two mares and a filly, were quickly wrangled, but one remains elusive from authorities as the hunt continues to try to capture the zebra and bring it back to its fellow runaways.

As of Monday, the zebra, a stallion named “Z”, was still on the loose.

One North Bend couple attempted to lure “Z” the zebra with white bread on Monday after he was spotted roaming around their horse pasture around 2pm, but the animal “got spooked” and ran back into the surrounding woods, they told The Seattle Times.

The King County Sheriff’s Office and the Regional Animal Services of King County both asked the North Bend community on Monday to keep an eye out for the zebra running around the area.

One zebra remains on the loose after their owner pulled over near I-90 to fix a mat in their trailer, leaving four of the animals to bolt off (Washington State Patrol via AP)

The sheriff’s office warned residents not to try to corral the zebra themselves but to let authorities know they had spotted it and inform them of its whereabouts.

“We’re used to dealing with cats and dogs obviously, and even occasionally stray livestock, but this is an animal that is probably scared, it’s not in its element, in an unfamiliar area,” King County Regional Animal Services spokesperson Cameron Satterfield told the outlet.

“It’s best to let the experts handle it.”

The driver, Kristine Keltgen, told The Seattle Times that she owned the zebras and was driving with them when she pulled over while travelling east on I-90 to fix a floor mat that was dragging in the trailer.

As she went to fix it, the four zebras bolted out of the trailer and ran off into the nearby area.

One zebra trotting up the highway after it escaped on Sunday (Washington State Patrol via AP)

“The first thing I thought was, ‘Keep them away from the interstate,’” Ms Keltgen said. “Then my next thought was, ‘I need help.’”

Many people, baffled by the sight of four zebras roaming around, came to Ms Keltgen’s aid, including David Danton, a former rodeo bullfighter.

“It was kind of divine intervention – we happened to be in the exact spot and had the knowledge,” his wife, Julie Danton, told The New York Times, explaining how they had been driving through the area when they escaped.

Mr Danton built some makeshift gates out of rope, metal panels and a garden hose and was able to capture two of the zebras as he got them to run into a pen on a horse farm.

“It worked out as well as it possibly could have,” Mr Danton said, admitting that, “nobody trains you for wrangling zebras.”

Ms Keltgen said she had picked up the zebras from Winlock, Washington, and was on her way to Anaconda, Montana, where she runs a seven-acre petting zoo.

The captured runaways were kept in their trailer overnight at a horse pasture to try and lure back the remaining zebra, according to an animal services investigation report seen by The Seattle Times.

However, Ms Keltgen carried on with her journey and started to drive with the three zebras Monday morning, hoping to return for “Z” or have someone transport him to Montana once he is hopefully captured.

The King County Sheriff’s Office is asking residents to call 911 or (206) 296-7387 if the zebra is located or if anyone knows its whereabouts.

The Independent has contacted the King County Sheriff’s Office for further information.